Shloka 7

Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa-Śrāddha Vidhi

One-Year Concluding Rite

Devanagari script

अघोराः पितरः सन्तु अस्त्वित्युक्ते स्वधां वाचयिण्य इति पितामाहदिब्राह्मणानुज्ञापनम्

Transliteration

aghorāḥ pitaraḥ santu astvityukte svadhāṃ vācayiṇya iti pitāmāhadibrāhmaṇānujñāpanam

Translation

بعد أن يُقال: «ليكن الآباءُ الأسلاف (Pitṛ) بلا فزعٍ (aghorāḥ)، فليكن كذلك»، ينبغي بعد ذلك أن يُستحثّ على التلفّظ بـ«سْفَدْها (svadhā)»؛ فهذا هو طلب الإذن الرسمي (anujñā) من البراهمة، ابتداءً من البِتامَها (الأكبر والأسبق).

Word by Word

• अघोराः: non-terrible, benign
• अघोराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सन्तु: let them be
• सन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आशीर्लिङ्गवत् प्रयोगः

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ते: when (it is) said
• उक्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (when said)

• स्वधाम्: the formula ‘svadhā’
• स्वधाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वाचयिणि: in/for the (female) reciter (who prompts the utterance)
• वाचयिणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + इनि (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः इनि-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘वाचयित्री’ अर्थे (in the female reciter/one who makes recite)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• पितामहादि-ब्राह्मण-अनुज्ञापनम्: the obtaining/statement of permission from the Brahmins beginning with the grandfather (etc.)
• पितामहादि-ब्राह्मण-अनुज्ञापनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुज्ञापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषसमासः (paternal-grandfather etc. + Brahmins + permission/assent)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, on śrāddha and pitṛ-rites)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha sequence after invoking fearlessness for Pitṛs; before/at the svadhā-utterance prompting and anujñā.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual correctness (vidhi) and respectful authorization from officiants ensures efficacy of Pitṛ-offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a purifier supporting dharma and inner steadiness; honoring Pitṛs as part of ṛṇa-traya (debts).

Application: In śrāddha, explicitly invoke ‘aghorāḥ pitarah santu’ and then prompt ‘svadhā’ only after proper anujñā from the senior Brahmin/elders, maintaining sequence and decorum.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: domestic-ritual-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on svadhā, anujñā, and pitṛ-brāhmaṇa roles (adjacent verses 1.220.8–1.220.10)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Brahmanas
• Svadhā

FAQs

What is the importance of saying “svadhā” in Garuda Purana ancestor rites?

In this verse, “svadhā” is the formal Pitṛ-invocation used to direct offerings and remembrance to the ancestors; it marks the rite as specifically addressed to the Pitṛs.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and śrāddha procedure?

It preserves the procedural sequence: blessing the Pitṛs (“aghorāḥ pitaraḥ santu”) and then obtaining/initiating the correct mantra-response (“svadhā”) along with brāhmaṇa consent—key steps in śrāddha etiquette.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestor remembrance with clarity and respect: use the proper Pitṛ-formulae and follow ritual decorum by seeking guidance/consent from knowledgeable officiants rather than treating rites casually.